Winter Has Arrived - Swans/Thrushes Back

This morning I got my first decent Redwing arrival with 88 in several small flocks flying west. In the York Area several thousand birds flew west. Several hundred Fieldfare and 17 Brambling went through but I didn't get those as had to go off to work. I did get 3 adult Whooper Swans flying SE mid-morning before heading out, my first of the autumn, and I think the first in the local area. Their height suggested they didn't drop onto the Carrs.

Went to work. Got wet, got cold, got wind-blown. Finished work.

Called in to Castle Howard where I was greeted by the sound of 3 adult Whooper Swans swimming about on the Great Lake. Also saw the female-type Common Scoter that's presumably injured in some way and has now been present for almost a month. Picture of the Whooper below.

Whooper Swan (phone-scoped, only photoI got before my battery died)

As I drove home noticed some distant geese, Greylags, but did get the bonus of a Green Sandpiper.

Yesterday morning I got more nice views of the Yellow-browed Warbler at Bank Island, got some beautiful pictures of the bush it was sat in... hopefully when the wind drops down, assuming it's not been blown to Spain, I'll try and get some photos of it. Not sure anyone has managed any yet?

In the afternoon, just out of the York area (unfortunately) Tim and I had at least 5, possibly six Mediterranean Gulls following a plough: 3 adults and at least 2, possibly 3 1st winter birds. Impressive.

Med Gull (ad winter) (distant phone-scoped)

Common Scoter at Castle Howard!

Many local birders (and those far further afield) have had a pretty upsetting week with news of Russ' death, and I really didn't have the urge to go birding this weekend, let alone write about it, but knowing Russ he'd not have wanted me to miss today...

Russ had always told me to keep an eye on Castle Howard as it has a good track record of decent sea ducks, grebes, divers etc... and today it delivered with a nice female-type Common Scoter - a nice York Area tick for me! Also present there were 2 Whooper Swans, before they flew North, 'the' female Greater Scaup and another female-type Scaup hybrid. Also a few 'new' birds in such as 5+ Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew and 7+ Lapwing.

I stopped off at Wheldrake on the way home to take in the view for a few moments and enjoyed female Peregrine terrorising everything, two drake Scaup and two Iceland Gulls and a Woodcock!

Common Scoter taking a dive

Common Scoter

Common Scoter 

Whooer Swans

Whooper Swans - checking for darvics!

Yesterday the Bewick's Swans showed nicely at Bubwith Ings.